Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-01-24
Is HEGUILFY OF MURDERP

" lillian T.. DlZan, who for some
years past has lived at West Wheel
ock, and who has been engaged in
smuggling and other unlawful bust
ness. was arrested recently for muir
dering three infant children. and a
hearing was had before Justice Sar-
gent of St. Johnsbury. The follow
ing is from the Cdled0nia,4
Nv. E. Dian. charged with the
murder of three of his infant children.
whose hearing before Justice Sargent
was continued until Thursday even
ing. was acquitted Friday morning.
! He was re-arrested immediately on
charge Of adultery, and was put I'M
der $500 bonds to appear before JUS
tee Worcester, Jan. n, when the
hearing on this last charge will be
! held.
The hearing on the murder charge
was not completed until nearly noon.
Friday, and some of the testimony
was very important.
Holmes Wiley was the first wit
Dian heard him say that he did not
! mean to raise children; Dian claim
ed at times to be married TO the wo-
man with whom he lived and at other
times that he was not: told witness
that Mrs. Dizan. sO-called, had
husband, Mr.. Wilder, living; Di-
IAN feared complications and disap-
i II ? h
grand jury was in session.
j. IL. Deming confirmed Willev's
testimony and also testimony of other
witnesses in regard to the child,
Dora.
DR.. @. b. Bullard and DIR. II. ).
Brown testified as to the appearance
of the child's skull, and the indica-
tions of the symptoms described by
Mrs. Bedell. The remains of the
child had been eXhumed and the
skull examined by both physicians and
it was produced in court. Witnesses
testified that the skull was that of a
well-developed child; everything was
perfectly normal with the exception
of several holes which were found in
the left parietaI bone and left frontal
bone and some discoloration. probab- |
IL blood stains: these holes, in the
opinion of the witnesses, were caused |
by some sharp-pointed instrument.
Both witnesses heard Mrs. Bedelfs |
testimony. Assuming it to be cor
rect it was their opinion that the |
child was perfectly well up to the |
time of making the sharp cutlery which |
woke Mrs. Bedel; did not know of |
any disease. which in its natural |
course would produce similar phe-
nomena TO those described by Mrs. |
Bedeu; such symptoms might be |
caused by anything that would pro-
duce a compression Of the brain
dropsy Of the brain would be slower
in its development in order to produce
any such symptoms in the opinion |
of witnesses symptoms were prOduc- |
ed by the puncture of some sharp in |
strument through the skull which rup |
tured some blood vessel of the brain. |
DR.. Brown thought the symptoms |
were unmistakably those of cerebral |
meningitis, or an Inflammation of the |
membrane covering the brain. There |
were in the skull two well-defned |
holes that might have been made by |
an awl, darning needle or shawl pin. |
The testimony of the doctors clos |
ed the case. Arguments were made |
by Attorney Dunnett and a. F. |
Nichols for the state and Bates & |
May for the respondent.
Justice Sargent announced his de-
cision very briefly. 1t isn't usual, he |
said, in cases of preliminary examin-
tons for the trial justice to deliver an
opinion, but this is case of great |
Importance. Judge Bennett rules |
that in cases where no reasonable |
grounds exist that respondent is
guilty or that crime has been com |
mitted he should be discharged. | !
do not think in this case it has been |
established that respondent is guilty |
or that murder was committed and |
he is discharged. The verdict was |
great surprise to all who have kept |
any track Of the case. The charge |
on which Dian was re-arrested was
that of adultery with the woman with |
whom lie has been living as his Wife